U.S. Soldier Killed, Two Wounded in Iraq Attack

[Nambe]

BAGHDAD (Reuters)

One U.S. soldier was killed and two others wounded on Wednesday when a bomb exploded near a U.S. convoy on a highway just west of Baghdad, U.S. soldiers on the scene said.

The fatality brought to 147 the number of U.S. servicemen killed by hostile fire --- the same number of troops the United States lost in the 1991 Gulf War.

More http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=2&u=/ap/20030716/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_soldier_killed

The explosion occurred at about 9 a.m. as a 20- vehicle military convoy was passing a wrecked car that had been abandoned alongside the road, Spc. Jose Colon told The Associated Press. The soldier that died was blown out of a truck that was nearest to the blast, Colon said. Soldiers believe a bomb was hidden in the car wreckage.

"We were just driving along when the explosion hit," Colon said. "It was very big."

He and another soldier, Spc. Adalberto Bonilla, were in a car behind the most badly damaged vehicle, but were unharmed. About a half hour after the attack, the truck that absorbed the brunt of the blast's force was still burning. U.S. soldiers sealed off the road.

The convoy was on its way to a U.S. base in the desert near Iraq's border with Jordan. A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said he had no information about the incident.

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[jab105]

1. I feel so bad for the soldiers...

Saw on ABC news, the guys wanted to ring Rumsfeld's neck over this thing...

I hate this, and I hate that they aren't going to be able to get out of there anytime soon!!

We here at DU should pool together to get some goodie bags for these guys, let them know that at least WE still support them!!

[IndianaGreen]

2. The soldiers' displaced anger

the guys wanted to ring Rumsfeld's neck over this thing

They should be angry at Bush, the man most responsible for their being there!

I wonder how many of them still see Bush as Gawd's Annointed One?

[Rose Siding]

3. Oh my, you're right

I just realized that the reporter *didn't* ask them about Bush but rather about Rumsfeld. Damn.

[SodoffBush]

16. What does that say about the general perception of leadership in the US?

I think we all know Bush isn't driving the boat. Will that become his ultinate "out" when it comes his time to plausibly deny, what the Bushies do best?

[bluestateguy]

4. Here we go again

Another example of the consequences of this Administration's failed policies and the destructive results of a senseless war.

The next president should support the troops by bringing them home within 72 hours of his inauguration.

[IndianaGreen]

5. "US troops killed by hostile fire since the invasion of Iraq to 147"

US troops killed by hostile fire since the invasion of Iraq to 147 - the same number of troops the US lost in the 1991 Gulf War.

Junior has outdone his Poppy in the bodycount!

The count may well double by Fall.

[LauraK]

6. They must be planning bigger targets, like the airport...

Burger King. I wonder how they manage to kill one a day so often. With so many injured, I suspect Centcom may be arranging the one a day formula. It is awful for the troops families and friends to have the military messing with casualty reports. What a mess.

[IndianaGreen]

9. There are hundreds of wounded

over 600 the last time I heard. This has a debilitating effect on their comrades. This is going to be a badly traumatized army by the time they make it home. And they won't get victory parades as the Gulf War veterans did a decade ago! One thing you can count on is that if Iraq is still smoldering as a low level conflict next year, the Bush regime will try to push to returning vets into anonymity. They don't want the vets to remind the public of the open wound that Iraq is going to be in the public's consciousness.

[leftchick]

21. it is over 1000 wounded

since this whole debacle stared. I read it on a cnn crawler and saw a short article in LBN a few days ago. So sad that it only rated a crawler and no Big segment like the Jessie "rescue"...what pathetic media we have.

[IndianaGreen]

14. Here is a CENTCOM release with 10 wounded!

The wounded will be with us long after the war is over. The press is barely mentioning them!:

July 14, 2003
Release Number: 03-07-49


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


UPDATE: ONE SOLDIER KILLED, 10 WOUNDED IN RPG ATTACK

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A soldier from 3rd Infantry Division was killed and 10 others were injured at approximately 7 a.m. July 13 when the convoy they were traveling in was attacked by multiple rocket-propelled grenades.

The convoy was returning from a routine patrol mission when it began receiving fire. An RPG hit the two-and-a-half-ton truck in the convoy. The RPG passed through the driver’s cab into the engine causing the vehicle to catch on fire. A second RPG hit the high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle in the side and passed all the way through the vehicle.

Ten soldiers were injured in the attack, three of them seriously. The soldiers were evacuated to the 28th Combat Support Hospital for treatment. Seven soldiers were returned to duty.

Both vehicles were destroyed in the ambush.

Names of the dead and injured are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

This release updates CentCom release #03-07-47.

http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/news_release.asp?NewsRelease=20030749.txt

[lebkuchen]

7. What division? 3rd ID again?

Christ, how many soldiers have they lost so far?

[uhhuh]

8. Every time I open one of these threads

I'm hoping that it's an old one that got kicked to the top, or a dupe, but I guess the chimp has to outdo poppy in every category of failure before he's done. So sad.

[LauraK]

11. Casualty reports come out between 11AM and 2PM...

every day (Baghdad time). It's been that way since the 'end' of the war.

Cable television forced the pentagon to give a 'wounded' report last week. There were 1,100 up to then. Many of the soldiers families are complaining of inconsistant reports on casulties. One yesterday was told their son died in a vehicle accident and they later read an Israeli newspaper that said he died from a grenade blast.

[Randi_Listener]

10. * finally got his wish!

The Iraqis have started to Bring 'Em On!

[IndianaGreen]

12. The Pentagon's bodycount for Tuesday, 15 July: 4 dead

The bodycount is far higher than what it is being reported. Notice the "non-combat deaths" for incidents that are still "under investigation"!!!!

DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpt. Paul J. Cassidy, 36, of Laingsburg, Mich., died July 13 in Camp Babylon, Iraq. Cassidy died as a result of non-combat injuries. This incident is under investigation. Cassidy was assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion in Wis.

Sgt. Michael T. Crockett, 27, of Soperton, Ga., was killed on July 14 in Baghdad, Iraq. Crockett was on patrol when he came under RPG attack. Crockett was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, Fort Stewart, Ga.

Spc. Joshua M. Neusche, 20, of Montreal, Mo., died July 12 in Homburg Hospital, Germany. Neusche died from a non-combat cause. Neusche was assigned to the 203rd Engineer Battalion, in Joplin, Mo.

Spc. Christian C. Schulz, 20, of Colleyville, Texas, died July 11 in Baqubah, Iraq. Schulz died as a result of non-combat injuries. This incident is under investigation. Schulz was assigned to the 3rd Troop, 67th Armor Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2003/nr20030715-0196.html

[NYC]

13. 4 U.S. soldiers died in one day.

Is that a new record?

[markses]

19. Do you even read this stuff?

That's the names released for casualties July 11-July 14. In fact, it's perfectly in line with the numbers I have for that period, as released by the major press (prior to notification of next of kin). With one exception: I have two hostile fire, two non-combat, the DOD release has 1 hostile fire, 3 non-combat. Here's my list for July 11-July 14:

Reported July 12 (occured July 11)
Dead: 2 (1 - "Non-hostile shooting," 1 killed in Fallujah)
1 wounded - same incident

Reported July 14
Dead: 2 (1- 3rd ID RPG attack, al-Mansour area of Baghdad; 1 non-hostile, southern Iraq)
6 wounded Baghdad RPG attack

Total = 4 dead, as the DOD release indicates.

So, no. It was not 4 killed in one day, and yes, the media did report each of those, thouigh there is some question about the hostile fire death in Fallujah.

[Mari333]

22. The age of MY sons!!

Believe me, when you see the age of TWENTY , and you are 52 years old, you see a KID lying in the sand screaming in pain, NOT an adult...You see a KID screaming in fear for his family, his mom and dad, his or her loved ones, a LIFE snuffed out WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY to early, and there is NO REASON for it..NOT ONE.
Not One Goddammned Reason.

[SodoffBush]

15. If Bremer doesn't get an election in process immediately,

our soldiers' lives will be in his hands. I fear another Reagan-era Beirut attack is in the offing. I don't believe Iraqis will tolerate several months of US occupation. They want democracy NOW, not some US-selected overseers.

..................................

The United States' administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer has said American-led forces will stay in the country no longer than necessary, but will see Iraq through the transition to an elected government - which could be next year.

[silverchair]

17. that's not good

at all. i feel bad for the families.

[MRDU]

18. 147...Bloody milestone.

This is how W' makes poppy proud, " Look Daddy, I'm responsible for more AMERICAN DEATHS than you are!".

[osaMABUSh]

20. "and so it goes..." Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

reminds me of Slaughterhouse 5

[lanlady]

23. CNN adds this detail:

that Iraqi onlookers cheered upon discovering that the dead/wounded were US soldiers.